None
Thursday, 5 November 2009

Foreign Minister Steven Smith, US ambassador-designate Kim Beazley, West Australian Premier Colin Barnett and other leading political, business, academic and media figures will meet at The University of Western Australia next week to debate the geopolitical, economic and social issues confronting our region.

The In the Zone conference, hosted by UWA, will bring together people from Western Australia's nearest neighbours, including the countries that make up 60 per cent of the world's population and are expected to undergo the most rapid economic development in the coming decades.

Over two days, the more than 50 international participants will discuss global poverty, economic growth, health and disaster management, cities of the future, and the opportunities, challenges and solutions these present.

Speakers include UWA Nobel Laureate Professor Barry Marshall, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Zhang Junsai and Akio Mimura, Chairman of Nippon Steel.

UWA Acting Vice-Chancellor Winthrop Professor Bill Louden said that the conference was an important step in building a dialogue with the countries that are Australia's major trading partners.

"The University of Western Australia is an international university that sees conferences such as In the Zone as vital to a regional dialogue," Professor Louden said.

"The topics under discussion - trade and investment, energy supply and demand, economic prosperity - are the common threads that bind our future. As a university we have a responsibility to assist in focussing the debate about our common future."

Information about In the Zone, including the conference program: https://www.zone.uwa.edu.au

NB: MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES MUST REGISTER TO COVER THE CONFERENCE. GO TO: https://www.zone.uwa.edu.au/news/media_registration

Media references

Sonia Nolan (IN THE ZONE Media Manager)  (+61 4) 01 034 103
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 4) 32 637 716

Tags

Channels
Events — Media Statements — University News
Groups
Cultural Precinct